Electrically-driven vehicle.



I w. B. POTTER.

BLBGTRIGALLY DRIVEN VEHICLE,

PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1903. 2 $HEETB-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Inventor 1 William B. Patten. by M 0 fitt'y.

W. B. POTTER.

ELEGTRIGALLY DRIVEN VEHICLE.

PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r O t n e V m.

a e s s e n 1w W William B. Potter. a/vz/JKI i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. POTTER,

OF SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICALLY-DRIVEN VEHICLE.

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filedJune 25, 1903. Serial No. 163,088.

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically- Driven Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally. to electrically-driven vehicles which are adapted to run over a highway without tracks and to receive their power from an overhead conductor, and more particularly to a novel form of trolley construction by which a practically continuous connection may be main-. tained between the overhead conductor and.

the driving motor under all the varying conditions incident .to the operation of such vehicles. I

One object of my invention is to provide a trolley which can be readily placed in contact with the overhead conductor, not only when the vehicle is directly beneath the conductor but also when it is laterally moved from such a position, and which may be placed and will remain in such contact position throughout a wide range of such lateral movement.

Another object of-my invention is to rovide the trolley pole with a handle W ich under normal running conditions extends into a position to .be conveniently grasped by the operator and which may be moved by him to move the pole and trolley to any desired position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a general view illustrating a vehicle'provided with a trolley constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the trolley in contact with the overhead conductor; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a hanger for the overhead conductor Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trolley; Fig. 4 is a central section of said trolley and its supporting pole, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end view of the trolley and its pole with one of the contact-shoes shown in section; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the trolley-pole base or support with parts broken away and in section to illustrate the spring mechanism by which the trolley is forced upward into engaging position. i

'sulators 17 17.

gage the under side of said conductors.

In the drawing, in which like characters refer to like arts throughout the several views, 10 designates an electrically-driven vehicle whose motor is adapted to receive current from two overhead conductors 11 and 12 through the contact shoes of a trolley 13 and suitable connecting conductors. The overhead conductors 11 and 12 are sup orted and spaced by hangers 14, each of whic 1 comprises the usual ears 15 15 to which the conductors 11 and 12 are secured, and a yoke 16 connected to said ears through suitable in- Each of the yokes 16 is supported at its center by a rod 18 which is secured at its upper end to a cable 19 which extends lengthwise of the conductors 11 and 12 and is supported at regular intervals by transverse suspension wires 20 extending between suitable supporting poles 21 2 1.

The trolley head-13 consists essentially of a central insulating block 22 which is adapted to extend upward between the conductors 11 12'when the trolley is in position, and outwardly extending contact shoes 23 23 secured to its outer edges and adapted to Teln- 1e block 22 is built up of a number of strips of wood which are rounded off and cut away so as. to form a structure having a cylindrical upper surface and a concave under surface, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5-. Vertical metal strips 24 24 are fixed at their upper ends to the opposite ends of the cen .tral portion of the block 22 by bolts 25 25 which pass therethrough and serve to clamp together the wooden strips which make up that portion of the block The contact shoes 23 23, which are substantially U-shaped, are secured to the outer opposite edges of the block 22 by suitable screws 26 and have their ends and outer edges turned over so as to provide smooth rounded corners. The outer upturned portions of the U-shaped contact shoes constitute retaining flanges which are adapted to engage the overhead conductors and prevent their passing laterally out of con tact with said shoes. Insulated conducting wires 27 28, whose bared ends are soldered 'to the terminal blocks 29 29 riveted to the outer surfaces of the contact shoes 23 23, extend down opposite sides of the trolley pole 30 and are adapted to convey current from said shoes to the vehicle motor.

The trolley head 13 is connected to its supporting pole by a universal joint which con sists essentially of a ferrule 31 which is ada ted to pass over the upper end of the trol ey pole 30, a yoke 32 swiveled to the upper end of the ferrule 31, and a cross 33 pivoted transversely between'the arms of the yoke 32 and longitudinally to the vertical strips 24 of the block 22. The swiveled connection between the yoke 32 and the ferrule 31 is provided by driving a plug 34 into the end of the ferrule 31 and cutting down its end so as to form a pivot for the yoke 32, which is suitably apertured for the purpose, and.

screwing a nut 35 thereon so as to keep the yoke in place. I

Coiled springs 37 38, whose upper ends are secured to threaded pins screwed into the op- ,posite longitudinal ends of the cross 33, eX-

tend downward in a direction parallel to the ferrule 31 and are secured at their lower ends to the opposite ends of a pin 39 which passes through said ferrule and the upper end of the pole 30. The springs 37 and 38 are of unequal length and normally hold the trolley head 13 at an oblique angle to the trolley pole, as clearly illustrated in Fig. '4, and at the same time yieldingly hold the longitudinal axis of said trolley in the plane of the trolley pole and the pin 39.

The lower end of the trolley pole, which is preferably composed of bamboo or other light material, is firmly seatedin a socket 40 which is secured by a pivot 41 near its lower end to the bifurcated bracket head 42 of the trolley base. Screwed into the underside of the head 42 is a pipe 43 which serves as a supporting spindle and passesinto the interior of the post 44. plunger 45 is located within the pipe 43 and is connected by a link 46 to a lug 47 on the under side of the socket 40, and a coiled spring 48 located within the pipe 43 normally presses upward against the under side of the plunger 45 and thereby forces the trolley pole 3'0 upward and thus maintains the contact shoes 23 in firm engagement with the under side of the conductors 11 12. The upper end of the post 44- is provided with a recessed lug 49 with which a latch 50 pivoted to the socket 40 is adapted to engage when the trolley pole is drawn downward into a substantially hori-v zontal position. The latch 50 which is pivoted at an intermediate point 51 is con nected at its upper end to a rod 52 which extends through guides 53 53 to a bell-crank lever 54, which is pivoted to a handle 55 and 1s yieldingly pressed outward by aspring 56 so as normally to maintain the latch 50 in engaging position. The bell-crank lever 54, as illustrated, is in proximity tothe handle 55 so-that it may be grasped at the same time said handle is grasped and manipulated so as toreadily release the latch 50. When the end of the latch 50 passes into the recess in the lug 49 by engagement with the lateral walls of said recess it also prevents any rotary movement of the trolley pole/about its base.

The post 44 which supports the trolley pole is located immediately in the rear of the vehicle seat .55, so that when the parts are in their usual operative position the handle 55 will extend forward over said seat into a position to be conveniently grasped by the operator when he desires to place or remove the trolley from the overhead conductors or lock it in disengaged position by means of the latch 50.

The conducting wires 2728, which lead from the contact shoes 23 23, extend down the trolley pole on opposite sides and are secured thereto at suitable intervals, as illustrated. One of these, the wire 28, is electrically connected to the head 42 of the trolley base, while the other, 27, is similarly connected to a contact ring 57 which is secured to the lower end of said head and suitably insulated therefrom. This ring 'is in constant engagement with a brush 58 which is firmly secured at its lower end through suitable insulation 59 to the post 44, and a wire 60 leads from the lower end of the brush 58 down along the 0st to the drivin motor 61 of the vehicle. T e otherleg of tie circuit,

which includes the wire 28 and the head 42,

is completed through the pbst 44 and the wire 62 which is electrically connected to the lower end of said post;

The angular relation of the trolley head 13 and the pole 30, produced by the springs 37 38, is such that in the operation of placing the trolley in contact with its conductors, the shoes 23 23 are brought to a substantially horizontal (position just as they are about to engage sai conductors. Because of this relation and the tendency of the springs to hold the trolley head 13 in one position, the long dimensions of the cylindrical insulating block 22 will always lie in a direction substantially parallel with the overhead conductors as long as the vehicle is running in the direction of such wires, or nearly so, and when placing the trolley will readily pass u ward with a wedge-like action between tl e conductors so as to bring the shoes into pro er contact. ang e between the block 22 and the conductors be considerable, still by reason of its rounded ends (clearly shown in Fig. 4) and its cylindrical upper surface it will readily twist around against the pull of the springs 37 38 and bring the shoes into the proper contact relation. Also, by reason of the arrangement of the parts, wnen the trolley is once in place, with its shoes properly engaging the under side of the conductors, the vehicle is free to move in a lateral direction for a considerable distance without bringing any sub stantial pull upon the trolley to displace it, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

Even though the horizontal In order to enable vehicles which are usin the same overhead conductors to meet an ass, it is necessary that one of the trolleys he drawn down out of contact with the overhead conductors and held in such position while the other asses. In the operation of my device, this is done by grasping the handle 55 and drawing it u ward. When the trolley is once disengage it may be held in that position either manually or mechanically by means of the latch 50.

It is clear that my invention is capable of varied application and may be embodied in different forms so that I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction herein disclosed, but aim to cover b the terms of the appended claims all mo ifications and alterations which may fall within its spirit and scope..

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is.

1. The combination with a trolley pole, of a universal-joint cross swiveled thereto, a contact shoe longitudinally pivoted on. said cross, and means for yieldmgly holding said shoe at an oblique angle to said pole and in a definite swiveled relation thereto.

2. The combination with a trolley pole, of

a universal-joint cross swiveled to one end thereof, a contact shoe longitudinally ivoted to said cross, and springs connecte to longitudinal ends of said cross and to opposite sides of said pole.

3. The combination of a vehicle, an overhead conductor, a pole secured at its lower end to said vehicle, a member swiveled to the upper end of said pole, a universal joint cross transversely pivoted to said member, a contact shoe pivoted to said cross, and means for yieldingly holding said shoeat an oblique angle with said pole and in a definite plane passing through said pole.

4. The combination with a trolley pole, of a head having a universal-joint connection therewith and comprising a central insulating section and contact shoes at the sides .thereof, and means for yieldingl maintaining the head in definite swive ed position with relat on to said pole.

5. The combination with a trolley pole, of

a head having a universal-joint connection therewith and comprising a central wedgeshaped section of insulation and contact shoes secured to opposite sides thereof, and means *for yieldingly maintaining the angularity and the swiveled position of the head with relation to said ole.

6. The combination wit a trolley pole, of a head having a universal-joint connection therewith and comprising a central wedgeshaped section of insulation and longitudinally grooved shoes secured to the sides thereof, and springs connected to the front and rear ends of said head and to opposite sides of said pole.

7. The combinationof a vehicle, two oversaid shoes and extending down said pole and adapted to connect with the vehicle motor.

8. The combination of a vehicle, two overhead conductors, a supporting postsecured to said vehicle, a pivoted bracket'head on said post, a pole secured at its lower end-to said head, a contact device at the uppere'nd of said pole comprising a pair of contact members, a contact strip secured to and in}- sulated from said head, a flexible conductor electrically connectin one contact shoe with said head, a second ex'ible conductor electrically connecting'the other contact shoe and said contact strip, a contact brush secured to and insulated from's'aid post and adapted to engage said contact strip, and

conducting wires-connecting with said post and brush and adapted to lead .to the vehicle motor. j 9. The combinationofa vehicle, anoverhead conductor, a pole secured at its lower end to said vehicle by a vertical pivot, a com tact device secured to the u per end of said pole, a handle rigidly secure tosaid pole at a point convenient to the operator and adapted f to be moved by him in moving thepole and contact device, latch mechanism by Which said parts may be locked to prevent the rotation of said pole about said vertical pivot,

' and means mounted on said handle for operating said latch mechanism. v

10. The combination of a vehicle, an overhead conductor, a pole secured at its lower end to said vehicle, a contact device at the upper end of said pole adapted to engage said overhead conductor, spring mechanism tending to move said poleupward to bring said contact device into engagement with said conductor, a handle secured to said pole at a point convenient to the operator and adapted to be moved to counteract the spring mechanism and disengage said contact device from said conductor, latch mechanism by which said parts may be locked to retain said contact device in disengaged position, and means mounted on the handle for operating said latch mechanism.

11. The combination of a vehicle, an overhead conductor, a pole secured at its lower end to said vehicle by a vertical pivot, a contact device at the upper end of said p'ole adapted to engage said overhead conductor,

cured to said pole at a point convenient to the mounted on the handle for operating said 10 operator ahd adapted to be moved to counlatch mechanism.

teract the spri mechanism and disengage In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my said contact device from said conductor and hand this 24th day of June, 1903.

J to rotate the pole about said vertical pivot latch mechanism by which said parts may be WILLIAM PO ETER' locked to retain said contact device in disen- Witnesses:

'gaged position and prevent the rotation of BENJAMIN B. HULL,

said pole about said vertical pivot, and means HELEN ORFORD. 

